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. 2023 Jan 11;104(2):361-371.
doi: 10.1093/jmammal/gyac110. eCollection 2023 Apr.

A new Pipistrelle bat from the oceanic Island of Príncipe (Western Central Africa)

Javier Juste  1   2 , Laura Torrent  3   4 , Aline Méndez-Rodríguez  5 , Kelli Howard  1 , Juan Luis García-Mudarra  1 , Jesús Nogueras  1 , Carlos Ibáñez  1
Affiliations

A new Pipistrelle bat from the oceanic Island of Príncipe (Western Central Africa)

Javier Juste et al. J Mammal. .

Erratum in

Abstract

We describe a population of pipistrelle-like bats from Príncipe Island (Gulf of Guinea, Western Central Africa) as a new species based on the molecular and morphological characteristics of six specimens collected more than 30 years ago. The description of this new species was not possible until the traditionally entangled systematics of the whole pipistrelle group was clarified in recent years with the inclusion of molecular techniques and adequate species sampling. In this new taxonomic framework, the new species was clearly included within the dark-winged group of the recently described genus Pseudoromicia. The pipistrelles from Príncipe Island present a moderately inflated skull in lateral view with inner upper incisors that are moderately bicuspids and a baculum distinctly long with expanded tips. Besides these morphological characters, the new bat species is distinguished by its dwarfism, being the smallest species recognized within the genus. The ecology and conservation status of this endemic island species are unknown and field studies are urgently needed to evaluate the situation and conservation threats to this new species in its natural habitat.

Keywords: African bat; Chiroptera; Cytb; Pseudoromicia; mitochondrial DNA; systematics; taxonomy.

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Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Map of Príncipe Island and distances to the mainland and other islands in the Gulf of Guinea (Bioko and São Tomé).
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2.
Bayesian phylogenetic reconstruction based on the mitochondrial gene cytochrome b (Cytb). Values above branches represent Bayesian posterior probabilities and values below branches are bootstrap values of maximum likelihood (support values < 50 are not shown). The right column presents sequences GenBank accession numbers. The sequence JQ956446 is listed in GenBank as Pseudoromicia tenuipinnis but it was probably misidentified. See Table 1 for a complete list of the specimens used and main text for details of the molecular analyses.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 3.
Portrait of Pseudoromicia principis sp. nov. showing a typical pipistrelle-like appearance. Pelage is chocolate brown dorsally and ventrally although tips of the ventral pelage present a distinct light creamy tinge. Photograph by Jorge Palmeirim.
Fig. 4.
Fig. 4.
Skull and mandible of the holotype of Pseudoromicia principis sp. nov. (EBD 17475M) in dorsal, ventral, lateral, front and back views as well as mandible top view. Photographs by Joxerra Aihartza.
Fig. 5.
Fig. 5.
(A) Dorsal; (B) lateral; (C) ventral; (D) apical (above), and basal (bellow) views of the baculum of the paratype Pseudoromicia principis sp. nov. (EBD 17358M). Photographs by Laura Torrent.
Fig. 6.
Fig. 6.
(A) Detail of the upper incisors (top left) and drawings of the (a) lower incisors and (b) upper incisors (bottom) of the holotype of Pseudoromicia principis sp. nov. (EBD 17475M). Photograph by Joxerra Aihartza and drawings by Joaquín López-Rojas. (B) Details of the rhinarium of (c) the holotype of P. principis sp. nov. (EBD 17475M) and of (d) Nycticeinops happoldorum (ZFMK-MAM-2009.0029), from Hutterer et al. (2019). Photograph by Laura Torrent. (C) Drawing of the tragi of: (e) P. principis sp. nov. (EBD 17358M, paratype); (f) P. brunnea from Van Cakenberghe and Happold (2013) and (g) P. brunnea (DM13229) from Monadjem et al. (2013) and (D) dorsal and ventral views (from left to right) of bacula of: (h) P. principis sp. nov. (EBD 17358M, paratype); (i) P. rendalli from Hill and Harrison (1987); and (j) P. brunnea (DM13229) from Monadjem et al. (2013). Drawings of P. principis sp. nov. baculum by Joaquín López-Rojas.
Fig. 7.
Fig. 7.
Selected echolocation calls of Pseudoromicia principis sp. nov. with three examples (A, B, C) of calls showing decreasing frequency modulation (FM) and increasing quasi-constant frequency (QCF) elements. Calls were directly recorded from free-flying bats at dusk in Santo António city and surroundings.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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